Improvement in governor-valves for steam-engines



UNITED STATES VILLIAM CHURCHILL, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSORI.

IMPROVEMENT IN GOVERNOR-VALVES FOR STEAM-ENGINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 58,775, dated October 16, 1356.

valves being in one chamber, whereby the immediate and effective control of the quantity of steam or other motive power passing to the driving-cylinders ofan engine is effected, and in certain detail features of construction, which will hereinafter more fully appear.

To enable those skilled in this art to make and use my said governor, I will proceed to describe its construction and application, referring herein to the accompanying drawings,

Figure l is a central sectional elevation along the line u o. Fig. 2 is a central sectional elevation along the line x y. Fig. 3 is a top plan of my said governor.

Similar letters of reference on said drawings, hereinafter referred to, designate similar parts.

I construct of the usual material, iron, brass,

. Src., the steam-chamber A, usually cylindrical in form, containing the throttle-valve B, The steam, air, or other power source passes into said chamber A at a, the inlet being here regulated by said throttle-valve B, said valve B being opened or closed by the valve-stem b, operated by the hand-wheel bl in the usual manner. As said chamber A must be made steam-tight, the stem b passes through b2, a stuffing-box arranged in the usual manner. Out of said chamber A the steam, air, 85e., pass through thel pipe C to the cylinder ofthe engine, and, as it is necessary to regulate the amount of air or steam so passing in accord ance with the power which the engine should furnish, I have constructed the parts now specially to be described. 4.

I arrange in the metal circumference or walls of the chamber A the steam-passages I), the same connecting the interior of said chamber A with said steam-pipe O, above named. Said connection between the interior of A and the pipe C maybe, however, arranged by connecting-pipes, or in any other practicalmanner. In order to regulate the quantity of steam or air, tvc., passing to said pipe C, it will then only be necessary to regulate the size of the openings of said passages D into said chamber A. This is done by the valves E, secured to the radial arms c, which connect with the sleeve c1, through which the stem b of the throttle-valve B passes. Moreover, to further secure said valves E, I construct the bearing c2, attaching to the arm c3 ot' said sleeve el. In this manner, the governorvalves being guided on the inner circumference or surface 0f the chamberA in three points, I secure a stable motion and a good fitting thereof. As the valve-stem b passes through said sleeve c1 this acts as a guide thereof. By giving to said valves E a radial motion the passage to the steam-passages D may be increased in size or y diminished. llo thus move said valves E, I attach to one of the arms c a stem, F, the upper end whereof,f, I connect in such manner with the usual arrangement of rotating balls or globes that when the speed of the engine increases lby the centrifugal force acquired the said balls or globes being drawn apart-i. c., their supporting-arms being brought more nearly horizontal-they press upon said, shaft or stem F, to raise or lower the same.

As there are many devices for connecting centrifugal globes with the valve-stemF now in common use, and as Ido not claim any special arrangement of such devices 'as my own, such arrangement is not specially shown, the same being foreign to the nature of my invention.

It is well known that in all arrangements of centrifugal governor-globes in common use, the motion of the globe in a vertical direction being dependent upon the action of centrifugal forces,`and the action thereof being arranged to correspond to the speed of the engine, the motion imparted to the shaft F will vary in distance, as well as in the time or duration thereof, in accordance with the speed of the engine; but by attaching said stem F to the arm c, nearer the sleeve cl than is E, the motion of the valves E will be more sensitively correspondent to'the speed of the engine than if a direct connection between the stem F and said valve were made'. I would, however,

specially mention that it may be convenient to secure the motion of the valves E by connect ing the stein F therewith in .some other msnner-for instance, by securing the sleeve-eI so as to turn with the stem Zi, and then connect ing F with b by 2t lever outside of the chamber A. Here the connection between eI and b would be so managed that in opera-ting the throttle-valve the part connecting b and el.

passed from the contact with el when B is operated. Such and similar arrangements are included in the nature of this myinvention. The connection between the stein F andthe arm e can be effectively' made hy nuts on the lower extremity of F, said extremity ff at the same time passing through the arm e. Then the stem F passes out of theehemher A,I nmlie stea1ntight hy'the usual stnftlng-boxf'l.

`1t often becomes necessary to increase or diminish the speed of the engine for power purposes, and the delicacy of adjustment of the governor must he in accordance with the speed or power required. To ei'teet this l secure to the stem F t nut, G. This presses upon a ring, g, resting upon t spiral spring, H. Vlien it becomes neeessary to lessen the delicacy of the governor action-in other Words, to keep the steampessnges Wide open notwithstanding high speed oi'engine-the nut Gr is Agaiin by releasing the nut G, the notion of the spring H can he so decreased as to simply eounterbelence the Weight of the stem F end other not otherwise supported connections, when any change of speed of the governorhalls or engine will immediatelyanc'l in a. very sensitive manner react upon the Valves E, thereby effecting n very perfect control of the quantity ot'-steam or air&c,., passed to the driving-cylinders iin-very neer accordance with the demand for power. Again, the arrangement of the opposite valves E is such that, the pressure of steam on their equal surfaces heing` equal, there is here a balance, so that by Cause of the steam-pressure no additional power is requisite to more the valves, again insuring quiel; sind freemotion thereof, suited to the requirements of power and speed.

From the description of' my said invention it, moreover, Will appear that the action thereof is independent ot' the power*be the same stenm, air, or gns---nsedA Having thus fully described my said inve-1r tion, What I claim isl. The arrangement of the throttleand gov ernor valves in the manner substantially as set forth.

2. The combina-tion of'y the n'nt G, stein F, and spring H, whereby to seeurethe action and regulation of the governor in accordance with the demands of power and speed.

"WILLAM CHURCHILL. Witnesses M. RANDOLPH, GEO. P. Heer-uni., Jr. 

